By the time Lennie caught up with Aunt Van, she was already chatting to Mum, who called Lennie over and introduced her. Van did the whole I-can’t-believe-she’s-got-so-big routine. Lennie was a bit disappointed- she’d expected a world-famous journalist to be more original- but at least now she had an excuse to talk to her.

“How long’s it been?” Mum asked Van, “Since we…”

“Um… Auntie Faye’s sixtieth, I think. That was, what, eight years ago?”

“No,” said Lennie, “You came over when I was in Year One. That was only four years ago.” If it had been eight years since they’d seen Aunt Van, then Lennie wouldn’t have even been able to remember her properly, would she?

Mum clicked her fingers. “She’s right, you know. That big charity event that Nana Pearl organised, remember?”

“Oh right!” said Aunt Van, “With the bouncy castle!”

Lennie grinned.   The bouncy castle was the main thing she remembered, too. They’d managed to get one shaped like Tigger, with his head over the entrance and his legs at all four corners. Lennie and the other six-year-olds had nearly died of joy.

“So many memories,” breathed Nana Celine, who was sitting a few seats away and hadn’t really joined in with the conversation so far.

Mum and Aunt Van gave each other a funny look. Then Mum smiled and said, “So… any advice? On getting through my wedding day?”

“Ha!” said Van, “You’ll probably handle it better than I did, no matter what you do. Constantly thought I was going to screw it up.” This sounded about right to Lennie. There had probably been a bunch of film stars and prime ministers at Aunt Van’s wedding, and you didn’t want to embarrass yourself in front of them.

Nana Celine gave them a serene smile. She looked younger than most grandmothers. She was actually fifty-five, so not that young, but she still had long dark hair and a smooth, pretty face. “I think it’s silly to be nervous on your wedding day.”

Lennie’s mum sighed. “Yeah, Mum, that’s not very helpful.”

“But what is there to be nervous about?” She was still smiling. “Spending the rest of your life with the man you love?”

“It’s a big ceremony, Mum. There’s a lot of variables. And anyway…” Mum had obviously been about to say something, but she stopped all of a sudden and went quiet instead.

Nana Celine didn’t seem to notice. She’d had a lot of champagne. “I bet Ewan’s begged you to let him see you in that dress.”

Mum smiled awkwardly. “Yeah, well, patience is a virtue.”

There were people all around them, but Lennie hadn’t paid attention to them up til now. Their table was where the action was. Everyone else was just swirling around them like a sea of boring people. But then Lennie saw Charlie, a little way away from them. And she saw Charlie spot Aunt Van. And she saw a horrible grin split his face.

Nana Celine just carried on talking. “You know, people think that marriage is the end of all your adventures. But love is the greatest adventure of all.”

“Right,” said Mum, trying not to laugh.

“Honestly, most of the time Emil’s the only part of my life that isn’t completely bonkers,” said Aunt Van, “I like that about him.”

Lennie would have loved to press Aunt Van for details about her bonkers life. Under any other circumstances, she’d have done exactly that and had a whale of a time. But Charlie was moving towards them, slowly, quietly, stepping around the people in his way. He met Lennie’s gaze, and put a finger to his lips.

Lennie had to say something. If she didn’t say something, then she was doing exactly what Charlie wanted her to do, like an accomplice. But she couldn’t speak. It was like her throat had frozen up.

Mum couldn’t help. She hadn’t seen him. “How did you two meet?” she asked Aunt Van.

“Ah, you won’t believe this… He’s a counsellor at a Young Offenders’ Institute, right? And I needed to speak to…”

It was too late. Charlie was leaning over Aunt Van’s shoulder, still grinning that grin. “Well, look who it is!” he said, like he was in a play and he was acting that they were friends. He put his arm around her…

And then…

Part of Lennie wasn’t even surprised. You saw things like this happen on the playground all the time. But these were grown-ups here. Fancily-dressed grown-ups at a party. They weren’t supposed to whirl around and knock each other to the floor.

There was blood and spit dribbling out of Charlie’s mouth. Aunt Van just stared at her clenched fist, as if she had no idea why it had just done that.

Charlie grabbed at a chair and tried to pull himself up. “BITCH!” he roared, spraying more blood and spit.

Nana Celine just looked around frantically, her mouth in a shocked “o”.”

On the other side of the room, Aunt Love turned round, as if Charlie had sent out a signal to her personally. She started charging towards them like an angry bull, elbowing people out of the way as she went.

Mum got up and put her hands on Aunt Van’s upper arms. “Upstairs. Now.”

(To be continued)